Marie-Olympe de Parme
Marie Olympe '''(16th February 1747 - Present) is a Grandelumierian noblewoman and Princesse du Sang. She was the daughter of the legitimised prince Fontaine Honore, Duc de Parme. She would be to marry the Prince d'Orange, later Prince de Monaco, at the age of 16. Reign of Louis XI '''Birth Marie-Olympe would be born in the middle of February 1747. Her mother would give birth to her at the Chateau de Saint-Etienne, where she was expected to taken into the care of the Imperial Governess. The delivery had not been problematic and provided a healthy baby. She was named Princess of the Blood upon birth, and entitled to use the style, Her Serene Highness. Born a few years after the return of her grandfather, Louis XI, she was subject to the rigid court etiquette which surrounded children of the time, with her parents seeing little of her as she spent her formative years with her governesses and nurses. Her parents own relationship was a rocky one, which they had difficulty maintaining. Rather, the pair would not live together for much of their marriage and spent time apart. Her father's position was itself a precarious one, as an illegitimate child of the Emperor, he was originally only recognised as a Lord. However, by 1746 he was referred to by his own father as a Prince du Sang. Her father was legitimised in 1753, raising her status shortly thereafter. Baptism By the age of 7, she was to be baptised by the court Almoner in a ceremony held at the Imperial Chapel. This would see the attendees of family members and members of Fontaine's personal circle of friends. Now titled Madame de Parme and taking on the title of her fathers' personal estate, she was then officially named Marie Olympe de Parme. This was in honour of both the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdelaine. Olympe would be in reference to the classical Greek Deities, in Mount Olympus. Her Godfather was her Grandfather, Louis XI, while her Godmother was the Duchesse de Normandie, Marie Amelie. She would see very little of either of the two, as Louis XI followed strict court protocol, while Marie Amelie, who was also her paternal half-aunt, spent time between Saint-Etienne and Normandy. Education It was around this time she was sent off for her formal education. Like most nobility, she was to be educated by religious officials and was sent to the abbey of Saint-Denis to study and learn. It was here she was taught several subjects. Her education was mostly focused on her attributed as a good noble wife. At this time she was already arranged to wed the future Prince of Monaco, the then Prince d'Orange Chretien-Baptiste. She would eventually be taken from the Abbey in 1763 after her 16th birthday had passed, where she would be moved back to Saint-Etienne for a few short months. After her time here, she was to leave with a handful of maids and two noblewomen companions to see her off to Monaco for the wedding to her future husband. She would arrive in Monaco by September. Marriage Her marriage would take place in early October, in a lavish ceremony at the Cathedrale-Notre-Dame-Immaculee. The ceremony would be officiated by the Archbishop of Marseilles with a lot of attendants. The pair would have a ball followed and the two would soon consummate the marriage. Their first night was equally disliked by both parties as, unbeknownst to her at the time, her husband was known for partaking in the Italian Vice. She would eventually deliver the newborn son in 1764. It was after the birth of this son that she would be informed of the nature of her husband, and his preferences. The two would continue a respectful life, and rather, introduced new partners to the other on occasion. She herself would have several affairs, bringing forth two illegitimate children to the marriage, both of which were officially named children of Chretien-Baptiste. Her grandfather Louis XI would then die in 1767, resulting in the reign of her half-cousin, Louis XII. Reign of Louis XII The reign of her cousin would bring few changes to her life, as she had rarely spoken to him. Though in this time she would birth another son, Georges-Louis. This was the son of a guard at the Monaco Palace whom she had an affair with. Though again, he was officially the son of Chretien-Baptiste. The revolution would begin to brew, and her husband would leave with several of his male 'companions' to the Papal Enclave in Avignon. Her would meet his mother, and the Princes Cardinal Louis-Joseph and Louis-Jacques, before leaving for Spain. Marie-Olympe however, would be forced to make her own arrangements for her travel away from Monaco, and instead left for Tuscany. Tuscany proved a relatively safe Haven for her, before the revolution would further, causing her to flee for the Papal States proper, and for Rome. She would reside here until the end of the revolution. Her father, Fontaine Honore, would be a victim of the revolution, dying after his imprisonment via beheading. He would ask his family, particularly his wife, for forgiveness before being executed as an enemy of the Revolution. Reign of Louis XIV Following the revolution and its end, she would return to Monaco. Though her husband was no longer the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, they retained the title and income from the land, but would not longer be an independent nation. She would return to the court of Saint-Etienne shortly after her husband. Issue Legitimate Issue To her husband Chretien-Baptiste Marie, Marie-Olympe would have one legitimate child; * Benedict-Baptiste, Prince d'Orange (3rd August 1764 - Present) Illegitimate Issue Marie-Olympe would have two illegitimate children. Both of these children would officially be recorded as children of her husband, Chretien-Baptiste Marie. To the Comte de Breteuil; * Marie Germaine, Princesse (14th March 1766 - Present) To an Armand d'Auteville, a guard at the Monaco palace; * Georges-Louis Seraphin, Baron de Sabran (9th January 1768 - 3rd February 1768) Styles, Titles and Honours Styles and Titles * 16th February 1747 - 15th June 1753 Her Serene Highness, Madame de Vendome * 15th June 1753 - 3rd October 1763 Her Serene Highness, Madame de Parme * 3rd October 1763 - 25th June 1766 Her Serene Highness, Princess Consort d'Orange * 25th June 1766 - Present Her Serene Highness, Princess Consort of Monaco